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Save money as you cook A smart cook can prepare meals without wasting a lot of energy. Whether you’re stove top cooking or using the oven, there are a few ways to conserve, says Monica Beaumont, foods and nutrition specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food‘s rural organizations and services branch. The best cookware for the stove top is made of heavy metal with flat bottoms, straight sides and tight fit- ting lids. Pressure cookers are even better than standard saucepans, she says. They can save as much as 40 per cent more energy than conventional cookware. "It’s a good idea to match the size of the saucepan to the element you’re using," she says. Energy can be wasted if the pot extends more than 2.5 centimetres (one inch) beyond the heated area. If you're cooking with water, reduce the heat once it comes to a boil. Continued high temperatures will not cook the food any faster. Another way to save energy is to shorten the cooking time by a few minutes. “Many people don’t realize that food will continue to cook with stored heat,” she says. The oven can also be a big energy consumer. “Avoid using it whenever possible," says Beaumont. Only 10 per cent of the energy used to heat the oven actually cooks the food, the rest is wasted. She suggests that preheating the oven is unnecessary unless the broiler element comes on during the preheat cycle. Cooking times will remain the same even for foods baked a short period of time. Foods with longer baking time will require no longer than five minutes more without preheating. One common mistake is to set the heat controls higher than required. It won’t heat the oven any faster. 16 “A good way to save energy is to use your whole oven space and cook several items at once," she says. This method only takes a little more energy and is more efficient than cooking several items separately. Keeping the oven door closed is also a good practice. Oven temperatures can drop anywhere from four degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius (about seven degrees Fahrenheit to 43 degrees Fahrenl= it) every time the door is opened. As with stove top cookv bakeware makes all the differc: Beaumont suggests using glass. yr dark-colored metal bakeware at will absorb and retain the heat. Plan your meals using these :15 and you’ll not only save one you’ll save money on your u. y bills, she says. Check Energuide labels on new appliances “EnerGuide” labels on most new household appliances tell consumers the amount of electricity the ap- plicance consumes each month, says Maxine Innesâ€"l-Iolbrough, the home and family management specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food‘s rural organizations and services branch. This label helps consumers calculate how much the applicance costs to operate. The federal government requires all new household tumble-type clothes dryers, ranges, clothes washers, dishwashers, refrgierators and freezers to display the "Ener- Guide” label. Each model is tested and given a label in accordance with methods apâ€" proved by a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) steering commit- tee and verified by CSA. The “EnerGuide” label states the kilowatt hours per month (kWh/month) energy consumption of each model. This rating shows how much power is needed to operate the ap- plicance. The following formula is used to calculate the total energy cost 0 model over a 10 year period: t cost of electricity = kWh per m- x cents per kWh x 12 months years divided by 100. For example, if the cost per kV- 5 four cents, then the total cost of : - tricity is: 123 x 4 x 12 x 10 divide 100 or $590.40 for 10 years. If the label has 175 kWh, ins. I of 123kWh, then the cost woutr.‘ : $840 to operate the applicance fo 1 years. Both examples assume the cos electrical energy remains cons: over the 10 year period. The applicance using 123 kWh month costs $2A9.60 less in 10 yr than the appliance which CODSUI 175 kWh per month. This example demonstrates . 3 potential for substantial dollar s ings for you and energy savings 1 Canada. When selecting your applian- energy consumption comparison not yonr only consideratio. however, low energy-consuming 3 pliances could save you money 31‘ energy. .'_::_ro